Old Blade World Glossary SPOILERS

This is the glossary from my book Apprentice Assassin written around 1991. It’s the foundation on which the Fallen Blade world was later built, though so much has been changed that it’s hardly recognizable. I thought it might be of interest to fans of the later books to see some of where I started.

Places And Other Info:

Adepts of the Sword: The ruling class of Kanjuri. These are people possessed of The Familiar Gift, but not the Mage gift. They bond with their semi-sentient swords and train as warriors almost from birth, making them the most deadly sword thanes in all the world.

Almarn Mountains: The Mountain range that divides The Shadow Kingdom from Öse.

Amrl: One of the Four Kvanas.

Ar: A free city in The Mage Lands.

Assassin Mage: One of the orders of Magery, founded by Dain bran Aerie. It’s familiar is the Syskin.

Ashari: A Kanjurese word meaning teacher or master.

Avars: One of the Four Kvanas.

Aval Keep: The capitol of Caen.

Aven: One of two kingdoms founded by Svaren Iceblooded.

Aven Fjol: The long lake at Aven Stead where the Aven and Öse rivers terminate.

Aven Stead: The ruling seat of Aven.

Boguns: Creatures of the dark, larger cousins of the goblins, or lesser of the demons. No one is quite sure.

Bran, or Brin: A word denoting place of origin.

Caen: One of the Four Kvanas.

Caryn: A hoofed mammal noted for its shy nature, and incredible speed.

Cheva: A small town in Aven, located above the frost line.

Citadel Of The Gap: The city state that controls the gap in the Hûrn’s Spine mountain range.

Collegium Magicum: A university for mages at Harm. It is a multi-order college with teachers from most of the major magical orders. Its board of directors makes up the majority of the Council of Mages. It was founded in the middle of the second age.

Colver Keep: The center of The Four Kvanas, Neutral Ground for the plains clans.

Council of Mages: A body of the most powerful of the gray and white mages. It works as a combination ethics board and debate society. It is made up of the heads of the various departments in the Collegium Magicum, the heads of orders headquartered in Harm, and whichever of the great mages of the north are in the city when it convenes.

Daemonic Order, The: One of the more powerful dark orders, it has a chapter house in Harm. Although barred from serving on the council of mages, its chapter house head carries considerable political weight in Harm.

Dan Ayre: The Capitol of the kingdom of Dan Eyre.

Dan Eyre: Was the kingdom founded by Dain bran Aerie on the ruins of The Theocracy. It is now The Shadow Kingdom.

Dan Wrack: Once Dan Ayre, The capitol of The Shadow Kingdom, seat of The Necromancer.

Daven: A village in the Free Duchy of Dain Eyre. The place where Delvin was born.

Desert of the Mages: See Mage Wastes.

Draughound: A doglike beast used by The Necromancer’s Hunt. Of very high intelligence, the draughounds are creatures of the Mage Wastes.

Dval: One of the Four Kvanas.

Dyerfel: The country occupying the Heart of the West during the Fifth Age, ruled by The Necromancer.

Elden Keep: The capitol of Dval.

Emain Fell: One of the four great cities of Varya, the capitol. It is situated at the foot of the pass that leads to Marn Muir.

Emain Lok: Another of the cities of Varya. It is located on the shores of Lake Leivas.

Emain Nial: The third of the cities of Varya. It sits at the heart of the Varyan plain.

Emain Wast: This Varyan city rests on the very edge of the Mage Wastes. It is here that most Varyan sorcerers are born.

Familiar: All mages have a familiar. The familiar acts as the focusing device for a mage’s power. Without that lens a mage cannot exercise their gift.

Familiar Gift: This is the ability to soul bond with another being. It is absolutely necessary for anyone wishing to become a mage. However, possession of the gift does not guarantee mage power, Mage Gift is also necessary.

Four Kvanas: A plains kingdom split into four parts, inhabited by nomadic clans of horse people.

Free Duchy of Dain Eyre: The last remnant of the kingdom of Dain Eyre.

Gat: A free city in the Mage Lands.

Grase Keep: The capitol of Amrl.

Gojuru: Mage/smiths who create the semi-sentient swords known as Juri.

Hairi: The Kanjurese nobility, defined by their ability to bond with semi-sentient swords called Juri

Harth: A trade city located at the forking of the river Dan.

Harm: The wizards’ city, capitol of the Mage Lands, and home of the Council of Mages, and the Collegium Magicum.

Heart of the West: The Heart is the area of land bordered, on the north by the frozen wastes, on the east by the Almarn Mountains, on the South by the river now called Dan, and on the west by the lands that became the Mage Wastes. The Heart is the richest part of the west both in terms of material wealth and history. The ages of the west are traditionally counted by changing of the rule in the Heart.

Hill People: The descendants of a warlike people who once ruled the area now split into Aven and Öse. After being driven south by the nomads from the ice they have little use for anyone not of their blood.

Hold: A trading city located on the shores of Lake Leivas at the border between Avars and Trade Wold.

Hom: The capitol city of Trade Wold.

Hûrn’s Gate: The northernmost pass through The Spine Of Hûrn. It links Aven and Kadesh.

Hûrn’s Seat: A mountain which is the legendary throne of the earth god Hûrn.

Hûrn’s Spine: The mountain range which divides the countries of the West from those of the coast.

Island In The Clouds, Marn Muir: This is a long valley in the mountains connected by passes to Varya and the Mage Lands. It is peopled by a loose confederation of feudal clans.

Juri: Semi-sentient sword like creatures, wielded by the Kanjurese nobility.

Jurida: The central philosophy of the Kanjurese nobility. It translates as “The Way Of The Sword.”

Kadesh: The northernmost of the realms of the East. Kadesh isn’t really a kingdom, its more of an anarchy. The uplands of the Kadesh are peopled with hundreds of small tribal bands, who’s main entertainment in life is killing each other. The only things that can distract them from this pastime are the advent of foreigners, and, or, anyone trying to use Hûrn’s gate. Either of these circumstances cause the tribes to unite, at least until the invader is dead.

Kanjuri: The Islands of the Sword. These islands are split up into dozens of little estates, each governed by a feudal warrior noble, one of the Adepts of the Sword.

Kavern: A town in the southern part of the Shadow Kingdom.

Kvan: Kvanai word for leader.

Lake Leivas: The home of The Lady. The lake is a repository of wild magic, and The Lady is its ruler. It is independent of any kingdom.

Lok Evenduin: A large body of fresh water located in northern Varya.

Mage Gift: The Mage Gift is the ability to perform magic, but it does not automatically make its bearer a mage. It is only half of what is needed, the power half of the power/focus equation necessary to become a mage. It is largely useless without the corresponding Familiar Gift.

Mage Lands: The lands around the wizards’ vale were liberated from the Sylvain empire during the first age by the Council of Mages. They did this when they established Collegium Magicum at Harm. To ensure that they would not be bothered there they declared the Mage Lands free of all sovereignty.

Mage Wood: One of four remnants of the great forest. It is a repository of great elemental power, and can only be safely crossed on the Road to Harm

Mage Wastes: Before the first age of the West. Before the West, really, there was a great empire ruled by mages to the west of the area now called The West. About one hundred and fifty years before the first age began there was a problem with the succession of the imperial reign. This led to a war. It was a war the likes of which will never be seen again. The mages, more powerful than the greatest of those since the end of the first age, warred, using the old wild magics. For two hundred and fifteen years they fought. The wars finally ended when the last two mages, apprentices of two of the principals at the beginning of the war, killed each other and left the last bit of city in the empire’s traditional lands a lake of molten glass. The empire was completely destroyed, leaving only a great desert, the Mage Wastes. By the time of the fifth age the only things left in the wastes are the nastiest and most durable of the beasts created by the mage emperors in their wars.

Marn Muir: See Island In The Clouds.

Ning: A trading city in Thauving.

Oen: A free city in the Mage lands.

Orai Castle: The Hereditary seat of the Noburu clan, Orai is located on the island of Tsefeng.

Order of The Flame: A religious order dedicated to the Light. It opposes all of the dark schools of magic, including, the various demonologists, night walkers, and most especially the necromancers. It espouses cremation of anything and everything that might be raised from the dead for evil purposes. Founded in the second age.

Öse, the city: the seat of the ruler of Öse.

Öse, the Country: One of the two countries founded by Svaren Iceblooded.

Road to Harm: A path leading through the Mage Wood. It is secured by spells, and a treaty with the spirits of the wood. No one bearing ill will towards the Council of Mages or any of the institutions of the Wizards’ Vale can use it.

Quien-mu: This is the chief port and one of the largest cities on Tsefeng.

Rugai: A Sylvani cult. It’s members worship a death god and practice assassination as an art.

SaiKvan: A Kvanai warlord, selected by trial of combat.

Second Road: Another name for the world visible only to the eyes of the mage.

Shadow Kingdom: See Dyerfel.

Skal-Tarn: A deep and magical lake in Marn Muir. It is sometimes called the Hûrn’s Heart, and it is said that there is much of the old, wild magic in its depths.

Snow Demons: Creatures of living ice. Created by the powerful magical flux generated by the mage wars, these beings are composed entirely of frozen water.

Sylvain Empire: Called the Sylvain, it is a huge empire spanning half the world. The lands around The Spine Of Hûrn are less than a fifth the size of the empire. It is ancient, and hostile and ruled by a non-human race called the Sylvan. The dating system of the world is based on the Sylvain calendar. A magically reinforced wall keeps the disputes of the northern countries from spilling into the Sylvain.

Sylvas: The northernmost great city of the Sylvain.

Tai Kvan: The legendary first horse of the Kvanai.

Tarkai: Kvanai word for outsider.

Tavanamuwixtent: A free city in the Mage Lands.

Temple of The Flame: The designation for the main chapter house of the Order of The Flame. The Temple in the fifth age is located in the Free Duchy of Dan Eyre.

Thauving: A kingdom in the East. Its main sources of income are trading and rice production.

Tien: The capitol of Thauving.

Trade Wold: A small country founded by traders fleeing the destruction of the Mage Empire.

Tsefeng: The Central and largest island of the Kanjurese chain.

Twilight: One of the last bastions of the forest that covered the world before the coming of the sentient races. Men enter only at great risk.

Uln: A free city in the Mage Lands.

Unclosed Gap, The: This is the only actual break in the mountains that divide the West from the East. Since the coming of man, numerous wars have been fought at and through the gap. At the end of the first age the peoples who lived here built the Citadel, and closed the gap to all but peaceful ventures.

Vargaun: Pronounced var-yawn, a legendary speaking boar. Vargaun was said to have advised the first king of Varya on how to deal with the invading Kvanai. For his aid he was made the chief stud of all the king’s herd and to this day farmers claim descent for their heards from this beast with great pride.

Varya: The bread basket of the west. This country supplies much of the produce, and all of the citrus to the countries of the West. The peoples are peaceful by nature but not totally unskilled at war.

Ve, or Vi: A term denoting parentage.

White Fang: In the heart of one of the remnants of the great forest sits the mountain called White Fang. The peak and forest surrounding it are the preserve of the Druids.

Wizards Vale: A long narrow valley in the mountains where the city of Harm is located. It is neutral ground for all the peoples, and it is one of the few places in the north where non-humans can be found. It is guarded by a portion of the old forest, called the Mage’s wood.

Dramatis Personae:

Alvana: A Priestess of The Flame, one of the same class as Keshari And Karalan, now a councilor.

Arshaum: A Caenai warrior.

Ashavi: Priestess mage of the Order of The Flame. One of Karalan’s former students.

Astrak: The Caenai representative to Colver Keep.

Aylissa: Strategy teacher at the mother house of The Flame.

Baron, the: The chief of the Emain Fell underworld.

Black Hand Falling: Sometimes called The Black Hand, he is one of The Necromancer’s Mage Generals. Charged with controlling the armies of the north. He was in his own right a powerful and evil sorcerer, but like all of The Necromancer’s Generals he was suborned.

Goradjic: A Dvalai warrior, teaching riding at the mother house of The Flame.

Hearth: Del’s horse.

Hern: Delvin’s master, an Assassin Mage.

Jessamine bar Qervlighy: A former student of Karalan’s, now a colonel in the Aven Stead intelligence service.

Karalan vi Kerdan: High mage of the Order of The Flame.

Keshari: Arch priestess of the Order of The Flame

Lady Of Leivas, The: (Etywlyn Gavrilaste) A powerful and ancient Sorceress/Priestess, who rules the island of Leivas. An adept, she is one of the only living individuals who has seen more than three ages.

Laris lec TuRain: A mage of the Daemonic Order.

Mara: A priestess of The Flame.

Morvana: The chief cook for the Lady of Leivas.

Narfax: The Avarsai representative to Colver Keep.

Necromancer, The: The ruler of The Shadow Kingdom. He is the most powerful living mage, one of only a handful of adepts. Three hundred years ago he and a magical army conquered the Heart of the West, and laid waste to its capitol.

Shiro: Toshiro Aganami, an adept of the sword from the islands of Kanjuri.

Sirya: Delvin’s youngest sister.

Smoking Mane: Master of The Necromancer’s Hunt.

Syra: The lawgiver of the council of The Flame.

Tarvana: A priestess of The Flame, assigned to Hold.

Teersa: A senior priestess of the Order of The Flame, a member of the council

Thira: A priestess of the flame, formerly an apprentice of Karalan.

Traskol: The Dvalai representative to Colver Keep.

Tregaren: The captain of the guard at Colver Keep.

Vuarog: A lieutenant of The Necromancer’s Hunt.

Wither: A senior officer of the hunt. Vuarog’s Captain, an apprentice of the Brown Man.

Historical Figures

Dain bran Aerie: The founder of the order of Assassin Mages. He became a legend by overthrowing the rule of The Theocrat, and destroying the Theocracy. He then founded the kingdom of Dan Eyre on the ashes of the Theocracy, to begin the fourth age of the West.

Krenig Kvan: When the great wars that created the Mage Wastes in the first age were occurring, Krenig Kvan led the clans of the horse people out of the worst of it and into the plains of the west. There he founded a kingdom and split it into the Four Kvanas to be ruled by his four eldest sons.

Svaren Iceblooded: He was originally the chieftain of a small nomadic people who roamed the ice to the north of civilization. He inherited the rule of his people from his father, but was not content to live the nomadic life. Using his own clan as a nucleus he formed the peoples of the frozen wastes into an army and swept down into the south near the beginning of the second age. He drove the Hill people out of their traditional lands and into the hills from which they now take their name, founding a kingdom between the Almarn Mountains, and The Spine Of Hûrn. On his death the kingdom was split between his sons, and became the modern Aven and Öse.

Theocrat, The: An immensely powerful mage king of the third age. He claimed his powers were divine and not a function of Mage Gift. He ruled the Theocracy for almost four hundred years. His rule was characterized by a vicious religious tyranny which brutally stifled the magic arts, and exterminated or subjugated all other mages.

Treaste Of The Flame: Founding mage of the order of
the Flame.

Xtare: The assassin who trained Dain.

Bonus content for those who’ve scrolled down this far:

My own original sketch list of changes from the Apprentice Assassin version put together while I was discussing a new map with geologist and mapmaker Matt Kuchta:

Aven Fjol —> Aven Fol

Citadel of the Gap —> Kodamia—Primary name for the Citadel of the Gap cut Citadal

Danwrack the Undying —> Dan Eyre (also needs to shrink to proportional with other cities)

Emain Lok —> Emain Tarn—instead of Emain Lok

Hill People —> the disputed lands

Islands of the Sword —> cut this phrase from the map

Lok Evinduin —> Lake Evinduin

Lujan Keep —> Luvarn Keep

Ning —>Anyang—used to be Ning Zhani city on the southern coast. Home of the winter palace.